


Just in Time

by adrianna_m_scovill



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Comfort, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Family Fluff, Fluff, New Year's Fluff, New Year's Kiss
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-31
Updated: 2019-12-31
Packaged: 2021-02-27 11:06:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,006
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22046077
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/adrianna_m_scovill/pseuds/adrianna_m_scovill
Summary: New Year's fluff...
Relationships: Rafael Barba/Olivia Benson
Comments: 4
Kudos: 85





	Just in Time

Barba looked back over his shoulder at the sound of the key in the lock and smiled when Benson stepped into the apartment. He felt the familiar cool rush of relief in his stomach that always came when she finally made it home after a long and difficult case.

She threw her purse and coat over the coatrack hooks and headed toward him. Her smile was genuine but tired.

“Hey,” he said softly. “Welcome home.”

“Did I make it?” she asked, glancing toward the television. She kept her voice low because she’d spotted Noah asleep on the couch with his head on Barba’s thigh.

“Just in time,” Barba said. When she stopped beside him and put a hand on his shoulder, he turned his face to kiss it before laying his palm over her fingers. “I was about to wake him for the countdown.”

She gazed fondly at her son for a moment before giving Barba a skeptical look. “Are you sure you want to risk it?”

“I promised,” he said, and his sheepish smile made her bend down to press a gentle kiss to his lips. “I’ll deal with the consequences.” She nodded and straightened, watching as he looked down at the sleeping child. “Noah,” Barba said quietly, brushing the boy’s curls back from his forehead. “Wake up, _mijo_ , it’s time for the new year.”

Noah stretched his legs under the blanket and whined, but he opened his eyes and blinked sleepily at the TV. “Are they counting?” he mumbled.

“Almost. Just a few more seconds, you ready?”

“Uh-huh,” Noah answered on a yawn. Benson walked around in front of the sofa to sit by his feet, and Noah wiggled out of her way. “Hi, Mom.”

“Hey, honey,” she said, sinking into the cushion with a grimace she couldn’t quite hide. “Did you have fun tonight?”

“Yeah. We had sparkling cider, and ice cream.”

“That does sound fun,” she said, shooting Barba an amused smile.

“Okay, here you go,” Barba said, patting Noah’s hip. “You ready?”

“Uh-huh,” Noah answered, yawning again as he pushed himself up so he was sitting between the adults. He stared at the television, the lights glowing in his eyes. He looked dazed, barely awake, but he started counting down with the crowd in Times Square. Barba and Benson joined him at ten, and they finished the count down to midnight together. While Noah called, “Happy New Year!” at midnight, Barba and Benson leaned over him to kiss each other.

“Happy New Year,” Barba murmured with a smile.

“Love you,” she whispered, giving him another soft kiss.

Noah yawned and shifted, squirming down to lay his head on her lap.

“Uh-uh, sorry, buddy,” she said. “Time for bed.”

“Aww,” Noah objected half-heartedly.

“I’ve got him,” Barba told her. “Come on, kiddo, you’ve gotta brush your teeth,” he said, getting to his feet.

“But—”

“That was the deal,” Barba cut in before Noah could get wheels under his objection.

Benson kissed her son’s forehead. “Goodnight. I love you.”

“Love you, too,” Noah grumbled.

Barba bent and scooped him up, letting the blanket fall back to the couch, and Noah squealed and laughed. Barba slung the boy head-first over his shoulder, clamping an arm behind his knees, and Noah looked at Benson through the curls flopped onto his forehead and giggled.

Benson laughed, watching Barba carry the boy toward the bathroom. While she listened to the sounds of Noah brushing his teeth and asking Barba if they could go to Times Square next year to see the ball drop in person—she smiled at how smoothly Barba deflected that question—she grabbed the blanket and scooted down onto the sofa. She hadn’t even removed her shoes, and she desperately wanted out of her bra, but the softness of the cushions was too inviting to be ignored.

She’d drifted into light sleep by the time Barba got back. She opened her eyes and shifted her feet out of the way when he sank onto the couch, but he promptly pulled them back into his lap. He tugged off one shoe and then the other, dropping them to the floor, and she sighed in relief. He smiled, taking one foot between his hands and massaging gently with his thumbs.

“Mmm that feels good.” She let her eyes slip closed, let herself enjoy the feeling of him working the aches out of her tired feet.

“You wanna talk about it?” he asked quietly.

“Not tonight.”

“Are you hungry?”

“Not enough to stay awake.”

“Hm. Want me to carry you over my shoulder to bed?”

She cracked an eye to peer at him. “You think you could?” she asked, and he chuckled quietly. She sighed. “Are you gonna make me brush my teeth, too?”

“If you don’t, I won’t. That way we won’t know whose mouth tastes worse in the morning.”

“Deal,” she said, and he grinned. “Did he go right back to sleep?”

“Before I had the blanket over him,” he answered, massaging her calf with gentle fingers.

She groaned and drew her feet from his lap. “I’d better get up or I’ll stay here all night,” she said, pushing herself up. She leaned over to kiss him, letting her lips linger against his with a soft hum. “Will you peel my clothes off me?” she asked against his mouth, and he smiled.

“Sure.”

“You can make out with me while you do it but I’ll probably fall asleep.”

He laughed and kissed her again. “Me, too,” he said as he got to his feet and held down a hand. “It’s way past my bedtime.”

She let him pull her up. “When did we get so old?” she asked, grimacing at the aches and pains in her body.

“I’ve always been old. I’ll let you know when you are.”

She rolled her eyes and leaned into him when he slipped an arm around her back. “You trying to charm your way into my bed?”

“Is it working?”

“Always,” she laughed, turning her face for another kiss.


End file.
